Day in Tunis & Carthage

After catching up on sleep after arrival we arranged a trip into Tunis for the following day. We hired a driver , Yusif, and decided to take in all the important sites. This was going to be a busy day!

Lee and Yusif our driver as we start our day to Tunis

Tunis is about 40km east of Bizerte along a mostly rural landscape. On the approaches to Tunis you get the sense that this is a large and sprawling urban area of over 3 million people. Once our driver entered the centre and old sector of the city traffic slowed to a crawl and we crept along in traffic that can only be described as chaos. Police at most intersections kept drivers obeying rules of the road. Open close enough to the old-town Yusif dropped us off and pointed us into the direction of the casbah. As soon as we left the air-conditioned car the 42 deg C temperature hits you like opening the door to an oven. Add a healthy dose of high humidity and this was going to be a blistering hot experience

Still looking cool and fresh before having just left Yusif and heading into he Casbah entrance

This was by far and away the largest and most crowded Casbah I had ever encountered. It stretched for what seemed like miles through a maze of winding streets and path ways. The sights, sounds and smells were extraordinary. Interestingly, as one enters deeper in to the darkened causeway of the casbah the temperature drops and becomes a tolerable 35 deg C.

Lee in disguise, trying not to look like a tourist.

We should have picked the ‘his and hers’ outfits to blend in ….

For women that love bling…I had trouble pulling Lee away from this display…

I was thinking of this ‘uni’ outfit because it look soooo good on the mannequin .

Unless you are the best dressed kid on the block….

a quite and cool corner of the casbah as one climbs well past the crowd and deeper into the historic centre

don’t sneeze , in case it all comes crashing down. You broke it you bought it!

Lee buys a souvenir in a gold shop from the guy in the red shirt. Who looks suspiciously happy with the outcome.

No! I definitely did not sit on this chair!!.

Not sure if this is text or just decoration, perhaps both.

We were only able to find our way back out of the casbah and to our driver by using our cellphone map. I patted myself on the back for having dropped a pin on the map as we left the car earlier.

We drove out of town and headed to the old Punic city of Carthage. Of course there is little left of the original Punic structures after the Romans pillaged and levelled the city in the 3d Punic war. However, the Romans, ever industrious and wanting to use its prime location, decided to build on top of the ruins of the destroyed Punic City. This is primarily what remains to be seen in this region today. Although one can make out the general measure of the original city, it is the Roman presence that is on display.

much of the sites are poorly marked or unmanned leaving you to make out the significance of structures on your own. Despite the advertisement, there is no support for visitors to understand what should be very interesting and entertaining visits.

Roman forum built on top of older Punic buildings with commanding views of the city below

Remains of a Roman villa complete with vineyard and wine producing facilities.

Roman mosaic unprotected from foot traffic. Surprised that no care is given to preserve this. Much of the mosaic is visibly loose and dissolving underfoot.

Yeah, at the Roman baths….I could use a cold shower

On our way back to Bizerte we make a detour to a small hilltop village on the seacoast that boasts a unique blue and white pattern to all the buildings and structures. A hot march up the steep streets rewards us with a cool sea breeze and an interesting interplay of colours, shapes and shadows.

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